Mushrooms

Turkey tail

Trametes versicolor

Thin, banded, leathery fans on dead hardwood. Too tough to eat; used simmered as a tea.

Turkey tail: Whole plant — Whole plantPhoto: Matthew Gerke · CC BY · source

Turkey tail: Habitat — HabitatPhoto: Matthew Gerke · CC BY · source

Confirm EVERY point before you eat it

Thin, flexible, leathery fans 1-3 in wide with concentric bands of brown, tan, blue-gray and rust
Cap surface slightly velvety with a thin, pale, wavy edge
Underside is white to cream with tiny pores; no gills
Grows in overlapping rosettes on dead wood

0 of 4 confirmed. If any point does not match, it is not this plant.

Look-alikes to rule out

False turkey tail (Stereum ostrea)Harmless
Smooth underside with no pores, more orange-rust bands.
Violet-toothed polyporeHarmless
Violet pore edge and jagged teeth; not the same species.

In season

Persists through the year; freshest from late summer on.

Habitat

Dead hardwood logs, stumps and branches.

Parts used

whole fruit body, simmered

Preparation and use

Simmer in water for tea (about 30-60 minutes). Avoid making health claims on the public card.

Harvest note

Harvest from clean, unpolluted wood.

Field traits

Grows on: dead hardwood
Underside: tiny pores
Spore print: white

Backpack Guide: Turkey Tail — Positive ID →

Educational reference only. Never eat a wild plant or mushroom based on a website or app. Confirm with an experienced forager, your local extension office, or a mycological club. Poison Control (US): 1-800-222-1222. Call 911 for severe symptoms.